Conventional semi-solid dishwashing products provide effective cleaning, but they can also present certain disadvantages to the consumer. For example, conventional dishwashing gels depend on a surfactant/water interaction to form their structure, so they are limited in the types and amounts of surfactants and other materials that can be used in the gels. As a result, the gels can experience smear problems upon prolonged contact with water, and the gels may not be as mild to the skin as would be preferred. Therefore, there is currently a need for semi-solid or solid dishwashing products that are mild and have low smear, while still providing good cleaning and sudsing performance.